Artificial foot.



'1. E. WOFE & T. BROWNING.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 19. I914.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

COLUMBIA PLANDOHAPH CO, WASHINGTON, n. c.

J. E. WOFE & T. BROWNING.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. I9. 1914.

l 1 5 1,1 44. I Patented Aug. 24, I915.

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

M Z W W I-7? WWII/$00.0

Q-- C2- awn COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH 10., WASHINGTON, n. c.

To all whom, it may concern nnrrn JOHN E. worn Ann THOMAS nnownrne, or eassawnn'wnsrvinemm.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

Application filed December 19, 1914. Serial No. 878,123.

Be it known that we, JOHN -Worn and TnoMAs BROWNING, citizens of the United States, residing at Gassaway, in'the county of Braxton and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Artificial Feet, of which-the following is a specification,

This. invention relates. to artificial feet. of the pneumatic type, in which the body of the foot is composed of a bag or sack, filled with compressed air, whereby a desired aircushion effect is obtained.

- The primary object of this invention is to provide an air cushioning-foot Which is simple, light, 'durable'and inexpensive capable of being readily repaired, and applicable to any ordinary type of artificial leg.

A further object of theinvention is to provide an artificial foot of maximum strength and resiliency to sustain and reduce to a minimum the strains and jars transmitted to the leg in walking.

The invention consists of thefeatures' of construction, combination and arrangement ofparts herein fully described and claimed,

reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure, 1 is aside elevation of an artificial leg to which ourimproved foot is shown applied. Fig. 2 is'a sectional view thereof. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the foot detached. Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal section through the foot. Fig. 5 isa transverse section thereof on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is aview of the air sack removed. Fig. 7 is a similar view of the inner casing as arranged to inclose the sack and to be applied to the outer casing. Fig. 8 is a view of the saddle. Fig. 9 is a view of the instep piece. Fig. 10 isa section through the applied foot on the line of the ankle joint.

Referring to the drawing, 1 designates an artificial leg of any ordinary or. preferred construction, and 2 our improved air cushioned foot.

The foot comprises an elastic bag or sack 3 of rubber or other suitable material, shaped to suit the contour of the foot, and filled with air under a desired pressure. This bag orsack 3 is provided with a valve filling tube 4 which is designed to extend upwardly through the foot and into the leg and have its inlet end exposed atsome suit able point in the leg, so that the bag or sack members or bolts 10.

maybe recharged" with air when occasion requires.

The said bag or sack 3 is inclosed within an inner casing 5, of some strong and durable protective material, such as canvas or canvas and rubber, said inner casing providinga protecting envelop to reinforce and guard the elastic bag frominjury. The said inner casing is of a shape corresponding to the bag and is provided along its upper posterior portion with an opening 6 normally held closed by a lacing thong 7, through which opening the bag or sack may be ap-- pl ed and removed. The marginal edges of the opening are'cut away at a point for the outward passage of the valved end of the charging tube or connection 4, and pass around and aresuitably secured to the inner casing, in front and rear of this arch or instep portion,j'are straps 8 of webbing or other suitable material which are fastened at their free ends to the eyes 9 of connecting I These connecting members or bolts 10 extend upwardly within suitable recesses in the leg 1, in which they are slidably mounted, said bolts or connecting members being retained in position and limited in motion by nuts 11. Coiled springs 12 surround'bolts between the same and abutments on the leg, whereby the bolts are permitted to have a restrained yielding movement, to adapt the foot to have upper play or articulation on its ankle pivot, hereinafter described. In some cases the springs .12 may be dispensed with, as the elastic bag or sack will give the desired resiliency and cushioning action.

, The webs or straps 8 pass upward through notches 13 in the marginal edges of a saddle 1 1, comprising a concavo-convex body of some light, strong and durable material, such as Wood fiber, which is riveted or otherwise firmly fastened along its marginal edges, as shown at 15.,- to the sides of an ankle piece 16, preferably made ofthe same material, and which gives the proper shape to the ankle portion of the foot'and adapts the same for application to the leg 1. By this construction it will be observed that the lower portion of the foot is made of an air cushioned body, while the upper portion of the foot is made of a strong and durable, and yet light, structure which is adapted to sustain the shocks and jars falling upon the foot and during walking action, the greater proportioniof which shocks and jars are cushioned by the pneumatic body of the foot, whereby stresses and strains falling 7 upon" the leg 1 are reduced to the minimum. An

.outer casing ,17, formed of soft leather or some other suitable strong and durable material, is provided to receive and inclo se the parts of "the foot formed as above described,

this outer casing is vpreferably pasted or otherwise suitably secured to the sides of the instep piece. The bottom of the outer casing is provided with a longitudinally extending slit 18 normally closed by a lacing thong 19, such slit providing an opening to admit of the ready insertion and removal of the air sack and inner casing, whereby repalrs and re-' ready facility for making placing worn outparts is afforded.

Riveted to the-ankle piece are armed eye brackets 20, the eyes of which pivotally engage screws 21 fitting-within the internally threaded ends o'fa tubular pivot bolt 22' carried by the leg 1, whereby the foot is detachably mounted in position upon the leg, so as to be applied to any ordinary leg, and is permitted to have the usual ankle joint "motion It will be evident from the foregoing description that our invention provides an artificial foot, which is not only of simple construction, and capable of application to any ankle piece, means for pivotally attaching the same to a leg, and an outer casing secured to the anklepiece and having a bottom opening through whichthe sack and inner casing may be inserted and removed.

2.-An artificial foot comprising a pneumatic sack, a flexible casing inclosing the same, an outer flexible casing inclosing the sack and inner casing, a saddle overlying the ankle portion in the inner casing and sack, an ankle piece to which thesaddle and outer casing are secured, and means for pivotally leg.

mat-ic'sack, an inner flexible casing inclosing thelsack, an outer flexible casing inclosing thesack and inner casing'fand from which 3. Anartificial foot comprising a-pneu the same may be removed, a saddle of rigid material overlying the ankleportion of the sack and inner casing, an ankle piece secured to the saddle and outer casing, means for pivotally connecting the'ankle piece with a leg, 'straps engaging theinnercasing and extending outwardly through said ankle piece, and: means for resiliently connecting said strapswith the leg'in front and rear of the pivotal connection.

- 4; An artificial foot comprisinga pneumatic sack, a fabric inner casing inclosing the same'and having a top aperture through which said sack maybefapplied and'removed, an outer casing of flexible material inclosing the sack and inner casing and provided with a bottom opening through which said sack and inner casing may be applied and removed, a rigid saddle overlying the ankle portion of the inner casing'iand inclosed within the upper portion of the outer casing, and arigidankle piece fixedto said saddle andouter casing. a I

5. An artificial foot comprising :a pneumatic sack, an inner casing of flexible material inclosing the sack and having a top opening through which the sack may be ap V plied and removedfa-nouter casin'g of leather inclosing thesack and inner casing and having a bottom opening through which the same may be applied and removed, a concave-convex rigid saddle overlying the in-' ner; casing, a rigid ankle piece pivoted to the saddle and suitably fastened to the. outer casing, said saddle being provided with notches in its lateral edges, brackets upon the ankle piece for pivotal connection with the ankle bolt: of a leg-, and straps passed around the inner casing and extending outwardly through said notches and the ankle piece, and connections for ing said straps to the leg.

In testimony whereof We affix our'signaof tWo witnesses I JOHNE. WOFE. TI-IOS. BROWNING.

tures in 1 presence 'Witnesses:

S. J. SERGENT, R. M; "HoUsToN.

copies of this P t may be obtained for'five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

y Washington, I). c. p

yieldingly attach-' 

